Her Legacy
by Innoverse
Summary: This is the night of the machine shop collapse in Esperanza's POV. Rated K plus for angst.


**Hi, this is Innoverse! Here's the night of the machine shop collapse in Leo's mother's POV. I'm posting a lot today since I won't be able to get much out tomorrow. Sorry if there are any mistakes, I'm rushing this. **

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own HOO.**

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**_- Her Legacy: Esperanza's POV -_**

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Esperanza sat at her bench in the machine shop, drawing vigorously until her hands here cramped and sore. She needed to finish this plan, this drawing, but not only for herself, but for Leo. He had fallen asleep a couple hours ago, lying on the floor of a machine ship with a worn blanket draped over him that Esperanza had found after she started wondering why he'd stopped talking, and then found him curled up on the floor.

She looked down at the design on the piece of paper. It was so complicated, her scribbles on the piece of paper so messy that she thought the patent office might not even be able to understand what on earth she was talking about. Then again, they probably wouldn't have anyways. This piece of paper was her future—her's and Leo's—so that she could finally give him the life she wanted to give him while she still had him.

She set down the pencil for a moment, and looked down at her son.

He looked so innocent, curled up on the floor, that Esperanza had to smile. She loved him more then she thought she could ever love someone, and thanked Hephaestus every morning she woke up for giving her the gift of a child. She didn't care that she was poor, or that she was stuck working a tiring job with terrible hours, she'd do it all again if it meant having Leo. Besides, he loved it there—no surprise in that—and he kept her company.

She reached down and stroked the messy, oil black curls that he'd inherited from her. She only wished she could keep him longer, that he wouldn't have to leave her like Hephaestus told her he would have to. He'd told her that he knew Leo was going to be important—that he was going to be needed in the near future—and he'd given him the gift that he only gave to few of his children. Pyrokinesis. It scared her sometimes, knowing just how powerful her son was, but she knew that it was for the better, and that one day her son would change lives.

And that was the best thing she could wish for. To know that this child—the person she loved more then anything in the world—was going to grow up and be someone important, someone who would have a better life then Esperanza did.

He was going to be her legacy.

Leo Valdez was going to change the world.

Esperanza's heart swelled with a little bit of pride, knowing that no matter what happened, he was going to help people. He was going to do good things. He was going to be a hero.

For the millionth time that day, she thanked Hephaestus. She only wished that he'd come back for Leo, so that he'd know that someone besides Esperanza was watching him and cared about him. She wished he'd come to explain things to Leo—why it was so hard for him to sit still, why so many strange things happened to him, and most importantly why he could control fire. She knew he was a god, so she figured he had to be more experienced in explaining things to his children. She just wanted him to understand how important he was.

Esperanza sighed, and looked back at the design. She gently rolled it up, being careful not to damage it, and put it into her back. She gathered her things, and then crouched down beside her son.

She gently touched his cheek. "_Mijo_, wake up."

His eyes fluttered open, and he looked up at her. "Hmm?"

"Come on, Leo. It's time to go home," she said.

He sat up stiffly, and put the blanket in a corner near her bench. He stood up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, and they walked back through the machine shop and towards the entrance.

As they walked through the break room, she rifled around in her purse, looking for her keys. They weren't in there. She sighed, mentally chiding herself for leaving them.

"That's funny," she told Leo. "I know I had them. Wait here, _mijo_. I'll only be a minute."

She smiled at him, and then walked back across the machine shop to her workbench. When she was only about halfway across the machine shop, she heard all of the doors lock themselves. One of the various engines hanging from the roof crashed to the ground behind her, and pinned her to the floor by her pant leg.

"Leo!" she called out, but had no reply.

_Oh no_, she thought to herself, getting scared. She called his name again, but still nothing. Then, she heard her son's terrified scream, and felt heat blast her back. _His ability._

The machine shop began to collapse into itself with the heat of the flames, and Esperanza was still pinned under the engine. She knew she wouldn't make it out alive. She only hoped that Leo would make it out before he was crushed, since she knew he was fire-proof. And she wished she had been able to be there for him longer.

As the flames intensified around her, she whispered one thing. "You'll be my legacy, _mijo_."

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**So sad! I love Leo's character so much...**

**Anyways, reviews are appreciated. :)**


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